Belgium Slams Israel for Opening Fire on UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon
Belgium on Tuesday strongly criticized Israel for targeting clearly identified UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, emphasizing the need to uphold UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
In a statement shared on X, the Belgian Foreign Ministry voiced concern about a barrier constructed "illegally" by Israel along Lebanon’s southern frontier.
"This is a breach of international law and the territorial integrity," the ministry added.
The incident follows a Sunday statement from the Lebanese army condemning Israeli tank fire directed at a UNIFIL patrol in southern Lebanon. The army also accused Israel of violating Lebanese sovereignty and hindering the full deployment of its forces in the south.
UNIFIL said the attack, near a position built by Israel inside Lebanese territory, constitutes a "serious violation" of the 2006 UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The resolution demands a halt to hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel and calls for a weapons-free zone stretching from the Litani River to the "Blue Line," the UN-mapped boundary separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Southern Lebanon has seen rising tensions in recent weeks, with the Israeli military conducting near-daily air raids targeting alleged Hezbollah positions and infrastructure.
Since October 2023, Israel’s operations in Lebanon have reportedly killed over 4,000 people and injured nearly 17,000. A ceasefire declared in November 2024 required Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon by January, but the army only partially pulled back, maintaining forces at five border outposts.
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